The Graphic Evaluation of Morphological Characters in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.) by Chernoff Faces

Abstract

Seven parent colonies and 5 offspring colonies of two different Anatolian honey bee (Apis mellifera anatoliaca) ecotypes (total 24 colonies) were sampled randomly for morphological analysis. Morphometric measurements were made on 10 characters. A multivariategraphic method (Chernoff faces) was applied to data of parents and offsprings in representing morphometric data. This multivariate graphic technique, “Chernoff faces”, could distinguish differences between ecotypes and between parents and offsprings enabling simple and quick visual comparisons.